Lesbian chef Christina Wilson can take the heat

A new lesbian chef is lighting up Hell’s Kitchen, the Fox TV reality series that features the world’s grumpiest chef, Gordon Ramsay — and he’s just one of the show’s many challenges. Christina Wilson not only made it into the final-round cook-off in Las Vegas but won it to come out on top of season 10. During the season, Wilson was reunited with her girlfriend, after five weeks of separation, in what was the first obvious display of lesbian affection in the show’s history. This curve reader, who says we gave her the inspiration to be out and proud, recently took time to tell us more about her rise through the ranks.

Where were you on September 10, when the show revealed that you were the winner?

Monday night, I was alongside Justin [Antiorio, the other finalist] at Fox’s Fall Junket party in Los Angeles. We had a grueling press day and actually had a private screening of the finale, which I watched alone and Justin watched with his mother and stepfather. My mother and my girlfriend, Sara, were aware of the results, but unfortunately I was unable to tell anyone else. The show’s success is slightly based on the surprise factor, so it’s important that no one reveal the outcome. Although I wasn’t able to be with friends and family, that didn’t stop them from having viewing parties — I was able to step away minutes before the show started to give a big thank-you to my hometown, where my mother had organized one. I was sent a video of the room’s reaction to me coming through the door [as the winner] and it was priceless! I wish I could’ve been there.